Mother’s Day event back to its best

GET ready to deck yourself out in pink, because the Mother’s Day Classic returns to Bendigo this May.

Co-owner of Bendigo Cycles and treasurer of the Bendigo Mountain Bike Club Jo Lythgo is the volunteer host of this year’s event and said she hopes to restore the charity fundraiser to its former glory.

“I’ve been a participant of the Mother’s Day Classic for the past 10 years,” she said. “I remember it being so great.

“I did it two years ago when it was virtual and my daughter and I went down to the site where they’ve always run it, and we were the only people there.

“It was a bit sad because I would’ve thought even though it was virtual people would’ve gone to the site and ran it.”

Ms Lythgo hopes she can bring back the “community feel” of the day while raising money to support people affected by the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia.

“I am very optimistic I can bring it back and try to get that same feeling it had all those years ago,” she said.

Ms Lythgo’s close friend and breast cancer survivor Bronywn Keating is this year’s ambassador, and will speak at the event and lead the minute silence for those who’ve lost their lives to the disease.

“In 2020 Bron was doing a routine check and found a lump which turned out to be breast cancer,” Ms Lythgo said.

“It knocked us all for six because she was fit and healthy, and still is now, and it was the first time it was super close to us.

“She’s been such an inspiration; I really wanted a warm story. She’ll talk a lot about community and being fit and healthy, and how important having a village of people around her was.”

On the day, participants can check out a mini market, a bacon and egg breakfast supplied by the Bendigo Rotary club, a coffee van as well as the usual for the four-kilometre and eight-kilometre runs.

The Mother’s Day Classic is in its 25th year and has raised over $40 million for breast cancer support.

To register head to mothersdayclassic.com.au/vic-bendigo.